updated 04:20 pm EDT, Wed July 25, 2007

Battery suit

Sony and Apple are still feeling lingering effects of defective lithium-ion batteries (manufactured by the former) that were part of a massive global recall initiated in September 2006 after some units burst into flames. A Japanese man has sued both Sony and Apple Japan for 2 million yen (about $16,700) after he allegedly suffered burns on his finger when his Apple portable's battery pack caught on fire. His wife, who claims she had to seek medical treatment as a result of stress from the incident, is also named as a plaintiff in the suit. The recall has thus far netted more than 10 million Sony-manufactured batteries, which caught fire due to a short circuit resultant from errant, small metal particles. In spite of Sony's efforts, Apple notebooks were still purportedly catching fire as late as March of this year. An Australian MacBook owner whose battery was smoking and hissing successfully extinguished a flame, after which the battery proved to be swollen and charred. His battery was not listed under the recall serial number range.

stress?

A red flag should go up anytime someone sues as a result of "stress" or "emotional hardship." I do believe Apple should remunerate for all losses, material, and for time spent to get medical attention if their battery did indeed burn someone.

But stress? Come on? If a burnt finger stresses you, then you have a pre-existing mental condition that you should seek help for independently of Apple.

I the "sue everybody"

...mentality.

Let's sue Dole for the E. coli in the spinach when it was the farm's fault. Dole "should have known." Let's sue Kroger's and Menu Foods because my cat died after eating food made with contaminated gluten from China. It's the Chinese factory's fault. Let's sue Apple for a problem that is Sony's fault.